Hi GuysI to remember the Tenement where we lived in Shawbridge St The outside loo that my poor Mum was always cleaning for fear we may catch somethingBut we never went without I can still taste my Mum`s Stew and homemade Mince and Onion piesEveryone was in the same Boat and although my Dad worked hard money was always tightBut we were happier then than now Now its I want it yesterday SocietyPeople never locked there Doors and there were always someone there to lend a helping hand when neededToday People dont even know there Neighbours ( I find that very Sad )And yes Ian I agree with youBest wishes Joan Chester

An excellent point you make there Jimmy, teachers were very like that in the past, some still are or at least pretend to be 'above' the children in their care. Maybe well meaning right enough just misguided.

Reading here is so humbling in so many ways. Most of ye know I was born in a different era....the sixties.... big deal , but ye no what I mean. I'd just like to say you are all exceptional human beings, your posts are heartfelt and full of dignity, regardless the memories and circumstances. They say pride comes before a fall....but I believe there's good pride and bad pride. No one here is in for a fall. I've had wonderful conversations over the last few years with pals here, been given insights {this topic for instance} that otherwise I would have surely missed. You lot are a perfect example of "thinkin outside the box" before thinkin outside the box wis the "buzz" word. In your own way you all made it happen and continue to do so. So..since ma bars been open fur a few hoors noo.{zip it}...La Chaime..to every one of you!!

how about this for a joke yesterday the New Zealand goverment spent 3 million dollars on a shin dig for the Harry Potter fans, is that not immoral, and the people are the ones who forked out the money.

Going through the GG site & topics I clicked on this because I thought it would interest me! MY GOD, how I have been away so long!! What I wouldn't give right now to have The Bard's intellect & knowhow! What a wonderful woman she was!

Oh, how I miss her & the likes of her that kept the GG site going in yesteryear! ( no disrespect to the new members) She proved that Glaswegians were way ahead in intellect & humour comparable to any place on earth!

[quote name='thebardau' date='27th Sep 2003, 07:35am' post='6839']"Oh memories that bless and burn" - line from "The Rosary", a lovely song of yesteryear.

Anne from Oz posted a lovely poem on "Thoughts of Home" - her personal feelings, & you'll find it here http://www.glasgowguide.co.uk/ggbb/index.p....st=0?entry6836I replied commenting on her lovely words. And it started me thinking about my own past memories. In my case, alas, these memories are limited to Glasgow alone. Maybe that's my problem, or maybe I'm just twisted. Margaret P. also posted some memories of Glasgow here -http://www.glasgowguide.co.uk/ggbb/index.p...p?showtopic=338[this URL looks suss, the topic's "My Glasgow" in General Chit Chat]and that's a well-known poem, very evocative of the "old" Glasgow.Times WERE hard & our parents did their best for us & we're grateful to them for their worthwhile struggles. I'm not denying that for a minute.But the Glasgow I personally remember was far less rosy. I posted this before - and here again, in all its glory, I give you -

Farewell to Glasgow

Oh, where is the Glasgow Ah used tae know?The tenement buildings that let in the snowThrough the cracks in the plaster the cauld wind did blowAn' the waater we washed in wis fifty belowWe read by the gaslight, we had nae TV,Hot porridge for breakfast, cauld porridge for teaSome weans had rickets an' some had TB

Aye, How the neebers complained if we played wi' a baw,Or hunch-cuddy-hunch against somebody's waw,It we played kick-the-can we'd tae watch for the law,And the polis made sure we did sweet bugger aw

Noo there's some say that tenement living wiz swell.That's the wally-close toffs who had doors wi' a bell,Two rooms an' a kitchen an' a bathroom as well.While the rest o' us lived in a single-end hell

So wipe aff that smile when yi talk o' the days.Ye lived in the Gorbals or Bridgeton ways.Remember the rats an' the mice ye wance chased.For tenement living wiz a bliddy disgrace.

These are MY memories, though things started to improve just before we left. I can confirm this poem with depressing true stories from my childhood, but enough's enough - & I was far less deprived than some of my school mates & that's no lie.

So are we somewhat in denial re "the days that never were"? Should we be ashamed of the bitter truths? Or should we not also recognise & celebrate the harsh realities & the strength of the human spirit in overcoming these? .

I have just read this poem for the first time , which I think is wonderful , so I post it again . However I do wonder if that strength of the human spirit still exists in today Glaswegian .

All material in the site Glasgow Guide is copyright of the Glasgow Guide Organisation. This material is for your own private use only, and no part of the site may be reproduced, amended, modified, copied, or transmitted to third parties, by any means whatsoever without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved.